Nautilus Crewman Is Sports Night Speaker

Bruce Aquizap, Engineman 2nd Class, Guest of Honor

Hampton Union, Thursday, September 11, 1958

2nd ENGINEMAN BRUCE AQUIZAP of Hampton, crew member of the nuclear submarine USS Nautilus, is congratulated by Guy Bonzi, Hampton, following the Holy Name Society's Sports Night program Monday at Winnacunnet High School. Aquizap, guest of honor at the affair, was the only resident of New Hampshire to make the trip beneath the north pole on the Nautilus. At the right are his wife, the former Patricia S. Brown of Dover, and his mother, Mrs. Ruth V. Aquizap of 65 Tide Mill Road, Hampton. [Staff Photo]

Four senior members of the Winnacunnet High School football team and Bruce Aquizap, Engineman 2nd Class aboard the submarine Nautilus, were honored at the eighth annual Sports Night, sponsored by the Holy Name Society of Hampton at the high school Monday night.

More than 200 persons attended the supper and program which was highlighted by an address by Mr. Aquizap, the only resident of New Hampshire to make the historic submarine voyage under the arctic polar icecap.

Aquizap was a 1951 graduate of Hampton Academy & High School where he participated actively in sports, including football.

In his talk he said that the same teamwork and morale the crew of the Nautilus displayed on its recent trip beneath the north pole was also necessary on a football team if victory is to be achieved.

Lt jg. Bruce F. Aquizap
[Official photograph U.S. Navy]

Raymond St. Pierre, master of ceremonies, opened the program by introducing John O'Dea, who presented sweaters and letters to the four senior members of the 1958 Warrior football squad, Capt. Donald Kelsey, Roland Barnaby, John Carter and Richard Clark. Capt. Kelsey expressed the gratitude of the team and presented a sweater to Coach Ernest Gregorowicz from the team. Coach Gregorowicz praised the team and the interest in sports shown by the people of Hampton.

Capt. George Field, chief torpedoman aboard the atomic submarine Swordfish and a former member of the Nautilus crew, spoke of the place of nuclear powered submarines in our national defense program and described the new submarines in comparison with conventionally powered ships.

Rear Admiral Cornelius A. Brinkmann, state director of Civilian Defense, representing Gov. Lane Dwinell, presented a plaque to Aquizap from the state of New Hampshire in recognition of his participation in the trans-polar crossing. Brinkmann read the personal greeting sent by the governor and in a brief speech recalled the early days of submarines when the ships had to be brought in every week to be refueled with coal.

Aquizap, in turn, presented a plaque from the Nautilus to Admiral Brinkmann for the governor. He presented to the town a large framed picture of the Nautilus, autographed by all its crew members, to be hung in the new [Winnacunnet] High School building. The picture was accepted by Principal Edmund Tanzi.

Lawrence C. Hackett, chairman of the Hampton Board of Selectmen, also presented a plaque to Aquizap from the town of Hampton. John Long, Sports Night chairman for Holy Name, presented Aquizap with a 35 mm. camera and a corsage for his wife, Patricia, and a football for his son. A bouquet of roses was presented to his mother, Mrs. Ruth V. Aquizap of 65 Tide Mill Road, who was also celebrating her birthday.

Following the program Aquizap and his family remained to greet a long line of friends, sign autographs, have his picture taken, and accept the congratulations of the people of Hampton.